Without cash, Trump's opioid emergency declaration is a farce destined to fail

When I was 14 years old, my older brother Zach overdosed on heroin. It was, not surprisingly, the defining moment of my life; a moment when I came to appreciate the tremendous strength of my family, the vital importance of friends and the overwhelming compassion of my community.

Eleven years later, the opioid crisis still feels visceral and raw; I watched my mentor and friend suffer through addiction, I cried endless tears after my time with him was forced into memory, and I’m reminded of him every time I meet new families suffering through the same. I know too well Zach’s struggle and the heartbreak of my family is not unique. In 2006, the year he died, 34,424 others died from an overdose as well. Last year, that agonizing statistic grew to over 64,000.

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Last month, President Donald Trump sought to speak to me and the families like mine who are suffering through this painful scourge. In declaring the opioid epidemic a “public health emergency,” the president detailed the shocking statistics of a nationwide problem and rightly affirmed the role of the federal government in a response. But the meager actions his administration are now taking are not even close to enough. His rhetoric without resources offers the promise of a solution without the specifics to get the job done. His mere loosening of regulations, increasing states' flexibility with funds, and unveiling of a TV ad campaign are feigned steps forward, devoid of the leadership and responsibility necessary to make progress against a growing national tragedy.

In directing agencies to “use every appropriate emergency authority to fight the opioid crisis,” the president might sound tough, but without committing one extra dollar to empowering those fighting opioid addiction on the front lines, Trump has signaled he’s more interested in pageantry than saving lives.

Missing from the Trump administration’s approach is the firm support of communities tackling this problem from the ground up. Throughout my experience of my brother’s addiction, treatment and relapse, the importance of my community reinforced itself time and time again: When Zach surrounded himself with positive role models, he excelled; when I surrounded myself with supportive friends, so did I. Even the rehabilitation program he went through successfully, before ultimately relapsing, personified the “it takes a village” maxim by housing patients with the families of those in the program and coaching both the addicts and their families together.

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Empowering community efforts like these starts at the local level, but in the face of this growing problem, it must be a national effort. Training families and friends on how to best support their struggling loved ones takes time and resources. Sharing best practices and stories of personal resilience requires the convening power of a respected leader.  Assisting communities in devising solutions that don’t punish or ostracize but promote compassion and recovery involves engaged national, state and local governments committed to empowering their communities in their fight to save lives. 

This crisis will not be solved by the federal government. But with the astounding power of the White House in directing resources, convening leaders and setting standards all communities can look up to, it has a vital role to play. If you have the privilege to occupy the Oval Office, and the foresight to declare something a national emergency, then you better do something serious about it by offering tangible solutions.

I would give anything to spend one more day with my older brother; anything to have even an argument with Zach one more time. Today, there are countless kids across this country battling addiction who still do have life in front of them, who can still play and fight with their parents, siblings and friends. Their addiction to and death from drugs is not inevitable, and there are tremendous people and programs across this country who are already doing great work to save their lives. If the White House takes this problem seriously, it will move past the empty rhetoric and meaningfully join our communities in this vital fight.

Connor Goddard was born and raised in Royal Oak, Michigan. He is the former assistant director of the Global Resilience Institute and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in international relations at Georgetown University.